Pilot controlled ball cock valves



Jan. 14, 1958 H. w. BLACKMAN 2,819,866

PILQT CONTROLLED BALL-.COCK VALVES I Filed May 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ff gy Vl brren Black/flan ////////////1 amw lllllulln ATTORNEY H. w. BLACKMAN 2,819,866

PILOT CONTROLLED BALL cocx VALVES v Jan. 14, 1958 Filed May 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet INVEN'TOR ifi lgy Warren Black/72a);

United States atent PILOT CONTROLLED BALL COCK VALVES Huey Warren Blackman, Birmingham, Ala. Application May 21, 1956, Serial No. 586,082

3 Claims. (Cl. 25143) The present invention relates to ball cock valves and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally the invention comprises a ball cock for the filling of a conventional flush tank and which operates without the necessity for the conventional float. The valve is maintained in a closed condition by pressure ap plied through a by-pass pump to a chamber the lower end of which is provided with a diaphragm the downward movement of which under pressure in the chamber maintains the ball cock in closed condition. A novel valve is arranged in the diaphragm and is adapted to be tripped by a conventional trip lever to release the pressure within the chamber to thereby permit opening of the ball cock valve. A needle valve is supplied for regulating the flow of water through the by-pass pipe to the chamber to thereby regulate the amount of water which may be supplied at a given time to the flush tank. In another form of the invention, the diaphragm is supplanted by -a vertically moving cylinder in the pressure chamber.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a novel operating means for a ball cock valve.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth, of novel means for relieving pressure in a dome or pressure chamber forming a part of the invention.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel means for regulating the amount of water under pressure to be delivered to a pressure chamber forming a part of the invention.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device having means for filling a conventional flush tank without the necessity of a float controlled valve as is conventional.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view, partly in section, illustrating a filter element forming a part of the invention.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, illustrating certain details of construction, and

Figure 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a modified form the invention may assume.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a flush tank 10 having a conventional fitting 11 for a vertically extending water supply pipe 12 provided at its upper end with a head 13 from one side of which is a vertically dependent water delivery tube 14.

A valve seat 15 for a ball cock 16 is provided in the head 13. The ball cock 16 is provided with a cylindri- "ice 2 cal stem 17 which extends slidably through a fitting 18in the upper endof the head 13. The stem 17 is centrally provided in its upper end with a cup-shaped opening 19 in which rests in abutting relation the lower end of a threaded cylindrical stud 20,;the upper end of which is adjustably threaded into the lower end of an arm 21 which is centrally and vertically dependent from a release valve generally indicated at 22. A look nut 23 is provided upon the stud 20 to maintain the latter in vertically adjusted position.

A standard 24 is vertically mounted atop the head 13 and has pivoted thereto in its upper end, as indicated at 25, a laterally extending trip arm 26 which extends through a vertical slot 27 in the arm 21. A chain 28 or the like is attached to the free end of the trip arm 26.

The upper end of the arm 21 is formed integrally with a drain plug 29 having conventional vertical apertures 30 and which plug is mounted in the lower end of a valve body 31 having a flange 32 at its upper end and which body 31 extends through a central aperture in a circular diaphragm 33. The flange 32 overlies the diaphragm 33 while a flanged collar threaded to the outer face of the body 31 bears against the underside of. the diaphragm 33, such collar being indicated at 34.

A valve 35 is seated in the upper end of the body 31 and is provided with a vertical stem 36 the lower end of which extends slidably through the plug '29 andterminates in the upper'end of the slot27 while the upper end of the stem 36 has affixe'd thereto a float 37.

Aifixed to the peripheral edge of the diaphragm 33 and extending upwardly therefrom is a dome-shaped casing 38 which, with the diaphragm 33, provides a pressure chamber 39.

A fitting 40 in the upper end of the casing 38 has att-ached thereto one end of a by-pass pipe 41 the other end of which is suitably connected, as indicated at 42, to an enlarged portion 43 in the supply pipe 12, the enlarged portion 43 containing a conventional filter element 44 A needle valve 45 is mounted in the fitting 40 and is adapted to regulate the flow of Water under pressure from the by-pass pipe 41 to the chamber 39. A dog 46 extends vertically through a centrally disposed fitting 47 in the upper end of the casing 38 and is provided with a lock nut 48 to maintain the same in selected positions.

In the operation of this form of the invention, it will be apparent that when the tank 10 is flushed, the chain 28 will be moved in an upward direction through its connection with the conventional operating handle or lever (not shown). This action will cause a lifting of the trip lever 26 which will thereby impinge against the lower end of the stem 36 thus raising the valve 35 from its seat and permitting the escape of water from the chamber 39 downwardly through the body 31 and thence through the openings 30. When this occurs pressure upon the upper side of the diaphragm 33 will be released and the valve 16 permitted to open thereby allowing water to fiow from the supply pipe 12 to the pipe 14 to thereby refill the flush tank 10. During this process, water will flow likewise through the by-pass pipe 41 into the chamber 39 to again provide a water pressure in the chamber 39 to thus close the valve 35 and force the diaphragm downwardly thus causing the arm 21 and the member 20 to likewise move downwardly to thus close the valve 16. It will be apparent that by selectively placing the member 20 with respect to the arm 21, an exact positioning of the valve 16 may be had. Likewise it will be apparent that by properly setting the needle valve 45, the flow of water through the by-pass pipe 41 to the chamber 39 may be regulated thus determining the amount of water which will be permitted to flow into the tank 10. It will also be apparent that the float 37 will cause an immediate lifting of the valve 35 when such lifting is initiated by the pressure of the trip arm 26 against the lower end of the stem 36. Such upward movementof the'fioat 37 may be predetermined by a proper setting of the dog 46 which may thereafter be locked in such selective position by means of the lock nut 48.

Referring now to Figure 6, it will be apparent that instead of the diaphragm 33, there is provided a piston 50 having a suitable washer 51 which piston is vertically slidable in a cylinder 52 having therein a chamber 39a which corresponds to the chamber 39 in the device shown in Figure 3. A valve 35a is provided with a dependent stem 36a which extends slidably through a drain plug 29a formed in the lower end of the piston 50. The operation of this form of the invention is substantially identical with that described with reference to the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive. It will be apparent that when the trip lever 26 is lifted, it will impinge upon the under side of the stem 36a to thereby release the water pressure in the chamber 39a through the drain plug 29a, the remainder of the operation being as heretofore described.

While but two forms of the invention have been described and claimed herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a head, a delivery pipe extending from said head, a supply pipe connected to said head, a ball cock valve in said head for controlling the flow of liquid from said supply pipe to said delivery pipe, and pressure responsive means for controlling said ball cock valve, said pressure responsive means including a casing mounted upon said head, a diaphragm mounted in the lower end of said casing and having a central opening therein, a valve body extending vertically through said opening, an actuating valve seated upon the upper end of said body, a drain plug in the lower end of said body, an arm dependent from said plug, said arm having a vertical slot therein, a stem dependently carried by said actuating valve and extending through said plug and arm and having its lower end in said slot, a trip lever carried by said head and extending through said slot beneath said stem, and a by-pass pipe interconnecting said supply pipe and said casing.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein a needle valve is mounted in said by-pass pipe.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein a float is aflixed to the upper face of said actuating valve, and wherein a threaded dog is centrally and vertically adjustably mounted in the upper end of said casing whereby to limit upward movement of said float and actuating valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS 557,975 Coony Apr. 7, 1896 643,906 Marsh Feb. 20, 1900 2,228,552 Arbogast Jan. 14, 1941 2,310,516 Clark Feb. 9, 1943 

